I spent a year living in Cairns in my younger days and I was so stoked about visiting again. It’s feels different to the rest of Queensland and not just because of the heat (27 degrees in the middle of winter thank you very much). You can find great Japanese and Vietnamese food everywhere - and hear languages from around the world being spoken on every corner. It’s something that’s really hit me moving back to Australia after so long away - if you live beyond Brisbane, everyone is kinda the same.

Brazilian-born, Melbourne-raised Alex met Gretchen while holidaying in Cairns, and you can probably guess the rest. Along came Ellery then Allegra and now they find themselves here, living at Machans Beach, north of Cairns. It’s a beautiful spot - where the front yards of houses merge with the sand, and a neighbourhood bull hangs out nearby (he took up residence after being flushed downriver in a cyclone). I will say this though... if you ever visit: beware of the quicksand on the beach. We got stuck and I thought my time was up!

Gretchen is a bit of a local celeb - she’s a social media whizz and a passionate advocate for protecting kids from online bullying. If you’re a parent with a kid online and you’re not really sure what you can do to keep them safe, you should check out her course: